Monday Morning Blues

The kids were a little less than eager to get out of bed this morning. I must admit it seemed darker and colder than it's been yet this winter, and I had a tough time too. The first day back is always hard despite the excitement of catching up with friends.

They did relatively well all things considered. I really liked the new breakfast routine we implemented this morning. The days I work cereal and fruit are all that's on the abbreviated menu. My kids are spoiled beyond belief by the way I act like a short order cook each and every morning, but I'm hanging up my chef's hat at least 3 days a week. They looked at me incredulously when I told them I only got eggs or (not and) pancakes on Sundays. They ate their Kix happily...my girl with milk and my boy without (he's never been into soggy cereal). OK, I confess that I already broke the rule by baking them banana bread to go with their boring cereal. Hmmm...perhaps I'm the problem.

Miss O. arrived talking and was still chatting on her way down the driveway to the bus. We didn't see her at all on break so apparently there was some catching up to do. T. Bone was already out of sorts with the ending of his 10 day bacchanal, but her incessant conversation and the 5 too many questions she directed at him put him over the edge. He barked, "What's with all the questions. I have a headache and all you girls are doing is making noise!" That didn't stop her. In fact, she carried on and actually asked him what Santa brought him for the second time which put his frustration level on overdrive. He headed out the door to wait in the single digit temps and peace and quiet. Tonight at dinner he declared that he hates the number 23. That just happens to be Miss O's birthday. Hmmm. The two of them have always had a love/hate relationship going on. They'll probably get married someday. I'll never tell him that, of course.

T. Bone was humored by the fact that almost every one of his classmates got a DS from Santa for Christmas. What can I say? I think the word is coincidence. Dinnertime conversation confirms that they are already back in the swing of things, and thankfully all of Miss Bit's friends recognized her. While looking in the mirror this morning, she worried that she had changed (gotten even more beautiful I suspect) so much as to not look like herself.

I would like to take the tree down tomorrow before my cats do, but it's not the true end of the Christmas season until the Epiphany so it strikes me as a tad premature. My house desperatley needs scouring, but that is futile until I deChristmas. I should finish my Christmas cards and write thank yous. And then again I could just curl up with a good book for a little lost time.